David was now in serious trouble because his men were very bitter about losing their wives and children, and they began to talk of stoning him. But David found strength in the Lord his God. 1 Samuel 30:6
Earl was a leader. This was evident at home, at work, in the community, and at church. If you wanted something done and someone to recruit followers, you got Earl. Grateful for the gifts God had given ...
ARTICLE When to Intervene Without some kind of personal relationship, intervention is difficult and risky. Marshall Shelley
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A pastor encountered one of life's little dramas as he entered the YMCA: a toddler wearing a wet bathing suit was coming out the door from the swimming pool area, and her mother was saying, "You are such a coward!"
The child was shivering, and her cheeks were wet—from tears or the pool? The pastor couldn't tell. She simply stood there shaking as her mother continued, "It's the same every week. ...
ARTICLE Long-term Care Long-term counseling allows us to witness firsthand the subtle yet powerful healing that God brings. Archibald Hart
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We must define what long-term counseling is. That's best done by comparing it to short-term counseling.
Defining Short-term and Long-term Counseling
Short-term counseling deals with crisis intervention (death in the family, divorce, loss of a job) or supporting and guiding people through significant transitions (marriage, retirement). The problem doesn't require a major adjustment in personality.
Short-term counseling is one of the most effective ways to help people, provided we keep a few things in mind.
Assess the Situation
Determine whether the person needs short-term or long-term counseling by asking yourself the following questions. If you answer yes, the person needs long-term care:
• Is there an on-going family or personal conflict in this person's life? Is there a repeated pattern ...
Statistics show that those who remarry are in great need of premarital preparation. While 35 percent of first marriages end in divorce, approximately 65 percent of remarriages end that way, many of them within the first few years.
Clarify Your Position
While not all remarital preparation involves divorce, most does—which means you must come to a clear personal stance on divorce and remarriage. ...
No pastor or church counselor can become an expert in every aspect of the human condition. And yet they often have to diagnose a troubled person's problem: Does this person need to make a commitment to Christ and thereby experience the new life of regeneration? Does this person need some supernatural intervention? Or is this a case for psychotherapy or counseling?
ARTICLE Care for the Caregivers Church leaders can be viewed either as workers to fill slots or as fellow ministers who need special care. Bruce Larson
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Ministry is too tough to go it alone. Lay leaders and staff need pastoral care as much, if not more, than men and women in the pews.
A Model for Models
Modeling is the most effective teaching method. If you want a tithing church, you have to tithe. If you want a praying church, you must pray. If you want a small-group church, you need to be in a small group.
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